For several reasons, it has become necessary in the operation of a filing system to replace the file back, or file folder with file material fastened thereto, of several files in the system. This change of file folder has been commonly referred to as "pin-to-pin" conversion whenever file folders have a fastener involving one or two prongs for fastening file cover to file material. In the past the standard approach in replacing such a file cover is to manually remove the material from the old folder in a step-by-step operation. For example, with a file folder having a two prong fastener with half an inch of file material attached, first the prongs are straightened and about a quarter of an inch of file material is pulled off the prongs and turned over face down. Next another quarter of an inch of file material is removed and placed face down on top of the file material just removed. The operation is repeated until all the file material has been removed from the folder. The next step of operation is the placing of the file material thus removed onto the prongs of a new folder. Here a quarter of an inch of file material is carefully picked off the pile of loose file material, being careful if possible to keep the holes in line so that it can be threaded on the prongs of the new folder. The operation is repeated until all the file material has been placed on the new folder. If the file material in a folder is an inch thick, the operation is just that much more tedious and time-consuming.
This manual approach has several drawbacks. In addition to the time-consuming effort, there is a substantial likelihood of improper transfer of papers, loss of papers and mixing up of papers. There is also the frustrating aspect in this manual "pin-to-pin" conversion that the holes in the removed file material do not always align with the new fastener prongs because the paper is free to move out of alignment during the transfer. Thus, small portions of a large file, as can be gripped by both hands, can only be transferred at one time, thereby increasing the time needed to convert a filing system. As can be appreciated, in instances where a complete filing system is to be converted, this is a very labour intensive project and in most instances has dissuaded concerns from converting their filing system.
The apparent reasons for replacing a file folder are in instances when a file folder has worn out and it is desirable to replace it, or to break the file contents down into smaller sub-groups to be placed in one or more new file folders. Another reason for replacing file folders, and which usually involves converting a complete filing system, is converting to colour coding systems, such as that disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 775,687. That type of colour coding system includes machine readable indicia on the labels to enable the computerized control of file charge-out. This system is becoming very attractive and, in view of the machines now capable of labelling such file folders in rapid succession, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 830,118, there is a much greater demand for file system conversion. However, the above-mentioned drawbacks of manually converting a file system have prevented the adoption of such new colour coded systems and many companies are compelled to continue with their original filing systems, as inefficient and unproductive as they might be.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide process and apparatus for removing a fastener from fastened file material in a manner which permits easy replacement of fastener with file back or file folder. This provision makes the conversion of large filing systems far more attractive.